How I Did It

I am constantly being asked by clients, nurses, friends and family how I delivered two children without epidural pain relief. This question is one that I have never known how to answer because I didn't want to make mothers that received an epidural feel inadequate or like a failure. I would normally answer this question by simply stating that I have fast labors. I thought that if the mother wanted to know the risks of epidural and narcotic pain relief during labor that she would research the subject herself. The problem is that most mothers do not know that there are serious risks for the mother and baby if they receive pain medication during labor. Most mothers think that if the doctor is willing to give them the medication then it must be safe. This revelation has made me rethink my answer to the question of how I gave birth without an epidural. There is some truth in my original answer. I did indeed have relatively quick labors but that is not why I chose to go med-free. The truth is that I decided not to receive an epidural because I firmly believe that the benefits of pain relief absolutely do not outweigh the risks to my baby and me.


My role as a doula is not to judge women if they decide to get an epidural or narcotic pain relief during childbirth. My job is to educate mothers so they can make an informed decision about which pain relief would be best for their situation, if any.

Here are some good resources on childbirth:

The Hidden Risks of Epidurals

http://www.mothering.com/pregnancy-birth/the-hidden-risk-of-epidurals

The Hormonal Blueprint of Labor

http://www.mothering.com/pregnancy-birth/ecstatic-birth-the-hormonal-blueprint-of-labor